New Life
by BlazingGlory53
Summary: After the events of Scorpia Rising, Alex Rider just wanted to try to salvage whatever life he had left. However, when the last person he would have ever thought appears in his life, everything he knows will have changed.
1. Author's Note

Author's Note: WOW! I just realized it has been SIX YEARS since I first tried writing New Life! I apologize to all the fans that I may have let down by not updating it, and I've decided to work on revamping this story, and continuing this storyline, to try to make it more complex. I've considered writing some original works, but I will start on this fanfic to try to work on my writing, to gain some confidence. Also worth noting, is that I will re-edit some parts of the story, to fit more in line with the end of the series (when I first wrote this, it was after the events in Snakehead, I will set this after the events of Scorpia Rising).


	2. Prologue

_My life has been stolen from me. In this past year, I've lost my uncle, friends, and now Jack. I have aged far too much in one year than any other person my age should. I wish I could just forget everything that happened, and just go skateboarding with the guys. I've received scars, not only on my body, but also far, far deeper. I'm not sure if I'll ever recover, but I'll just have to take life one day at a time. I leave for San Francisco today, to enter the next chapter of my life: a life away from MI6. I pray that I will never see them again, and I can just be a regular teen._

Alex Rider took a look at the black letters on the white screen of his Dell laptop, focusing particularly at the flashing curser at the end. After a few deep breaths, he held down the backspace key, watching the words disappear from the screen until it was it all was gone.

Gone, like the past year. Like Jack. Like Ian. Like Ash.

_KNOCK! KNOCK!_

Not like Sabina, however. Sabina and her family... HIS family... is still here. They've seen the hell that Alex had to endure, the change that he had gone through, the scars that he now has to bear. They have decided to whisk him away to America, to try whatever they could to give him a new start. He deserves it.

Or does he?

"Alex! We're getting ready to go, don't make us leave without you," said a familiar voice, as Sabina Pleasure opened the door.

"I know, give me a minute," replied Alex, with a grin on his face. Alex looked around his empty room, reminiscing on the life he had lived with the four walls. His first steps, his first day of school, his first bike ride (his first bike crash popped in his head and he let out a slight chuckle). And now, he will be leaving this place, for good. Going to San Francisco, hopefully giving him a new chapter in life, to usher in the latter half of his teenage years.

Alex closed his laptop, and cautiously placed it into his backpack. He stood up in the middle of his room, took a deep breath, and whispered "So long" as he walked out of his room.


	3. Chapter 1

**ONE YEAR LATER**

Alex Rider finally achieved what everyone felt entitled to: a normal life. Twelve months had passed since he had left London, and settled down in San Francisco. For the first time in his recent memory, he felt a sense of freedom, and he took full advantage of it. Over the year, he went surfing at Stinson Beach, went to the races at Sonoma, bought cheap Samurai swords in Chinatown, and (one of his favorite things) learning to drive.

And today, Alex would celebrate the one thing he felt like he had never had... A normal birthday. Over the course of his sixteen years, looking back, his uncle had always done something to groom him into who he was. Who he WAS, not who he is now. Today, he would have a fun day! Edward decided that he would take drive Alex to Novato to take his driving test, stating the driving test in San Francisco is much harder due to the steep hills. Afterwards, Sabina talked about wanting to watch the latest chick flick at the IMAX theater after he got back, so he had a full day.

"Alex! Hurry up, we gotta get to Novato by 2," shouted Edward up the stairs.

"I'll be down in a minute," Alex responded, quickly getting his black pair of Nike shoes on, then rushed down the stairs. What he saw at the bottom of the stairs ground him to a halt.

Outside of the front door, he saw a brand new Honda Civic coupe, in Navy Blue. "Oh my God!" Alex shouted, "What.. Why... How?"

"Well, my new book actually sold better than we thought it would," exclaimed Edwards, holding up a copy of the latest New York Times Bestseller List, "so I thought it may be a nice gift for you." Edward tossed a key to Alex. "You're driving."

Alex was speechless, so he just frantically grinned and nodded to show his thanks. He raced to the car and sat in the driver's seat. He took in a whiff of the new car smell, and let out a sigh of relief, not just because of the fact that he survived to his 16th birthday, but because it was a NORMAL 16th birthday! A year and a half ago, he would have never thought he would have survived to 15, but now he was 16, with MI6 in his rear view mirror.

Alex and Edward started driving towards the Golden Gate Bridge and the 101 Freeway towards Novato. They went over details about the rules of the road and making sure Alex remembered everything to ace the test.

They arrived at the DMV around 15 minutes before the test was scheduled to begin, and pulled into the testing parking area. Edward went into the office building to let the tester know they had arrived, and Alex just sit in the car, letting his thoughts run for a little while. Thoughts quickly flashed through his mind, of Yassen, of Ian, of Ash, and of Jack. Alex had a tear slip out of the corner of his eye, then silently dismissed the thoughts, as the tester walked to the passenger's side of the car.

"Well hello Alex!" said the tester, a brown-haired man who had obviously not showered today, "My name is Eric Jenkins, and I will be your ride-along for this test. I also heard from your father, erm, guardian, that it's your birthday today! You excited?"

"You have no idea, sir," responded Alex with a sly grin on his face, but his mind flashed back to his real father, John Rider. He had no true memory of the man, just pieces of a splintered puzzle that have been pieced together by all too many sources. The Assassin, the Spy, the Husband, the Brother, the Father. He heard all the stories, but sadly, he knew he would never get closure on who his father truly was.

"You okay Alex?" asked Eric, and Alex snapped out of his trance.

"Uh, I'm alright, just got a bit of nerves for a minute," Alex stammered. "Let's get this show on the road." Alex then started the driving test. Eric had Alex drive around a route that was the general driver's test. Edward had shown Alex the route a week ago, so he had the general idea of how the test would go. Alex spotted a black SUV following relatively close to the car, and had a quick flashback to when he was trapped in similar vehicles, and nearly caused him to barely overshoot a stop sign. Eric made a quick note on his clipboard, which caused Alex to worry a little bit, but he continued on.

At the end of the driving test, Eric let out a grin that seemed a size too big, and exclaimed "Congratulations! You passed the test. Actually, you did the best compared to any other person I've had today. Way to go, Alex!"

"Thank you very much," Alex responded. He walked into the DMV and received his temporary license. Looking at the piece of paper that read "Alexander John Rider: Class C Licensed Driver", gave him both feelings of happiness and sadness. Happiness because the piece of paper classified him as a normal teenager, sad because he had no biological family to share his achievement with. Alex was lost in thought and felt distracted driving back to the Pleasure's house on Broadway St.

Alex decided to walk to the AMC Theater on 4th street, to try to clear his head. This was one of the first times in a while that these thoughts had been so prevalent, and had thrown him for a loop. He just thought of it being nearly a year since his last mission, and with all the changes that had occurred, he still had a lingering thought that he would never truly be "normal", despite whatever happens from here on.

Another sobering thought entered his mind: what if he actually missed his previous life? What if, for some crazy reason, now that the life was behind him, he saw the appeal of it? Many people his age wished for the life he had, and he regretted saying yes to Alan Blunt two years ago, but the experience had infected his mind. What if he actually wished he could be return to that life?

Alex was then snapped out of his thoughts, with a feeling that he was being followed. He risked a look back, and saw a man in a hoodie, but couldn't make out figures. He walked a little faster, and a few blocks later, sneaked another glance and realized the man was still following him. Alex then decided to take a risk, turned, and sprinted down an alleyway and hid behind a dumpster.

Alex peered over the corner, and saw the man walking down the alley. The hooded man then did something that Alex both expected, yet still caught him off guard.

"Alex? Are you there?" asked the man. The voice was one that Alex had no recollection of, and sent his mind racing. Alex then waited for the right moment, and then rushed the man and pinned him against the wall.

"Who the hell are you?!" Alex cried out. "Why were you following me?"

"Alex, I am not an enemy," the man stated, in a startlingly calm demeanor, "Let me go, and I will explain everything." Alex felt a sense of genuineness in his voice, and quickly ran through his thoughts. He didn't see any sign of danger from the man, and if he did try something, Alex felt confident that he could disable him. Alex let him go and took a step back. The man then removed his hood, and Alex stumbled back. The light brown hair, starting to gray... the faint stubble... the weathered eyes. The face had definitely aged, but he had definitely seen that face... On the wall of his old home in London! Alex then heard the five words he had never thought he would hear in his life:

"Alex, I am your father."


	4. Chapter 2

**15 1/2 Years Earlier**

The location was an airport an hour outside of London, the date: 1987. John and Helen Rider, new parents, were receiving an all-expenses paid vacation to the south of France, as a work bonus. An overlooked fuel line on the plane had ruptured during liftoff, and had caused an explosion that had killed all 20 people on the plane, including John and Helen.

At least, that's what the public records said. The MI6 records tell another story, that it was an attack by an operative of the notorious organization Scorpia, to eliminate former MI6 deep cover agent, John Rider. The public records state Scorpia's attempt as a resounding success. Reality tells the truth, that not has remained a secret for nearly 16 years:

SCORPIA FAILED

John Rider had earned a vacation. The Royal and General bank had decided that the South of France would be a great location for a new branch, for John to manage. They had been given three tickets for John, his wife Helen, and their infant son Alex, but at the last minute, Alex had come down with an ear infection. They had dropped Alex off with John's younger brother, Ian, while they would scope out the location and check out homes.

The car they were in was being by John's best friend, Anthony Sean Howell, also known as Ash. His cover title was bank teller, but in reality, he was a secret agent with MI6, and had recently led an unsuccessful mission to "rescue" John from cover, resulting in the death of four operatives under his command. Ever since then, Ash had been noticeably shaken, with rumors flying about that he would be demoted or laid off. Casualties were rarely overlooked in missions.

Upon leaving MI6 for the Airport, Alan Blunt had said a warning to John: "Stay on your toes, you're not in the clear yet. Trust nobody." Those words were now resonating in John's head, and had him on an edge. He noticed that Ash was sweating excessively, especially for a cold morning in April. He then started scanning the car, and his eyes fell on the bag in the passenger's seat. It was slightly open, but he could tell what was inside, because he knew all too well from experience. It was a letter from Julia Rothman, head of Scorpia. He couldn't read the small text, but what he saw in the middle of the page sent a chill through his spine:

**JOHN RIDER**

Scorpia knew the truth, that the assassination had been faked. Julia, who had loved him, wanted him dead, and somehow had gotten through to Ash, be it his own will, or via some other means. He knew Scorpia would not stop until he was dead, and stayed dead.

John knew he had to stay cool, and NOT let Ash know anything. They pulled up to the parking lot, and exchanged their goodbyes. Ash looked physically sick, as he said his farewell. Helen noticed, and said, "Why don't you come along with us, Ash? We have a spare ticket, and it looks like you could use some fresh air!"

Ash was half-tempted to take her up on the offer, but his mind wandered, back to the words of Julia Rothman: "John Rider must die for what he has done. If it is not by your hand, it will by mine, and then your fate will be sealed." A tear slipped down his face, and he said, "No. I have work to do here. Thank you anyway." Ash then gave John and Helen a hug, and slowly bowed his head as they walked towards the terminals.

When John saw that they were out of earshot of Ash, he said to his wife, "Helen, you need to listen to me. Somehow Ash has turned, I saw a note in his bag, I believe Scorpia has put a death warrant on me!"

"But.. But..." Helen stammered, "I thought you were safe, that you were clear!"

"Apparently not. Julia must have her feelers out there, I don't care how she found out, bottom line she wants me dead."

"What are we going to do, John?"

"We're going to give her what she wants."

"WHAT?!"

"We have to make them think we got on the plane, that they got us. We will have to sneak onto another."

"How the hell are we going to do that?"

"We'll show our plane ticket to the checker, then run to another plane. Trust me Honey, we'll get through this."

"I hope so," said Helen, as she started to cry, "I can't bear the thought of leaving Alex behind."

John let out a small grin and said, "Have I given you a reason to not trust me? Come on, we need to hurry!" John and Helen showed their ticket to the checker, and then sprinted down the airstrip.

They ran past their plane, which had no number. To the public, that plane didn't exist. The British Secret Service utilized that plane for transporting people who shouldn't exist to places they weren't supposed to be in.

They ran to the plane next to them, a commercial jetliner set to fly to the United States. There were not many people on board, which was common for redeye flights. The plane was set to takeoff in a few minutes, and once John and Helen got situated, the plane started taxiing to the runway.

As the plane was lifting off, a deafening sound rocked the cabin, and the night sky was blinded by a flash. Screams echoed throughout the cabin, as horrified onlookers saw a jet engulfed in an inferno. There was no doubt that the passengers' minds that they had witnessed an act of terrorism. Only John and Helen knew better, and they sure as hell weren't going to say anything.

"Oh my God, John!" exclaimed Helen over the shouts and screams. "What are we going to do now?"

"All we can do," sighed John, "Wait this out, then return for Alex."


	5. Chapter 3

Alex tried to breathe, but felt his throat tighten up. He felt like he had been punched in the gut, and the alley was spinning. "What?! You can't be... It's... That's impossible!" Alex sputtered weakly. Alex started to feel himself fall, but then was caught in the embrace of his father.

"Alex, my boy. You have no idea how long I have waited for this day," John said softly, with a hint of relief mixed with sadness. "You've grown so much!"

Alex started to smile, and then started to feel his mind cloud up, with confusion, with anger. "What the hell is going on? You're supposed to be dead!" Alex snapped.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint," replied his father, with a slight smirk. "I know you have a lot of questions, and I hope I have answers for you. For now, you should call Sabina, and have her meet us over at Lori's Diner over at Ghirardelli Square. Your mother really wants to meet you."

"Mom..." Alex mumbled, his mind threatening to shut down on him. Alex then pulled out his Motorola Razr, and speed-dialed Sabina's phone.

"Alex?"

"Hey, uh, there's been a change of plans. We'll have to postpone the movie. Can you meet me over at Loris Diner at Ghirardelli?"

"Um, sure. Is everything okay? You sound a bit distracted."

"Yeah, I'm okay, Don't worry, I'll see you in a little bit..."

"Okay, I'll see you soon."

_Click!_

"Well, Alex, we better get going. I have a reservation and don't want to keep Helen waiting."

Helen Rider... His mother. The woman who had been stolen from Alex a mere 3 months after his birth. The one who was dead for 15 1/2 years, but who really was alive.

...and waiting for him at a restaurant table. Waiting to meet him. He could barely even comprehend it.

Next thing he knew, he was walking through the double doors of Lori's Diner. The hostess at the podium flashed an obviously artificial smile, and said "Welcome to Lori's Diner, how may I help you today?"

John responded, "I am here meeting with Helen, party of four. We have one more on the way, Sabina. She'll be here shortly." The hostess then pointed to a rather secluded area of the restaurant and said "She's over there."

John then led Alex to a booth, where he saw the back of a woman's head. The woman turned her head, and she recognized the face immediately. That face was on a photo that was kept inside his wallet. The face had been weathered, but it was unmistakable.

That was his mother.

Any sense of what Alex had built his life around: the fact that his parents died when he was a baby, the fact that they were murdered, the fact that he had no more family, came crashing down in an instant. Alex then broke down, and let tears flow down his face.

Alex was then seated next to his mother, who wrapped her arm around her. He then truly just melted, under the embrace of the one woman who he never he would see, let alone be hugged by. The two people whose mystery had consumed his life, were now sitting at the same table as him.

Yet he had no clue how, or WHY, they were alive. Julia Rothman said herself that his parents were dead, and his godfather had even confirmed it. Alan Blunt even said they were dead, and despite all the lies he had fed Alex, he had a gut feeling that Alan truly believed their demise.

All of Alex's thoughts culminated in a single question: "Why are you here, and how are you alive?"

Author's note: This chapter may be a little rushed, but trust me, the next one will have some stuff you won't want to miss!


End file.
